A Lesson of Hidden Leaves
by silversilence0
Summary: Kakashi stumbles on one of Iruka's lessons when he has a day off from his countless missions. The lesson brings to mind recent events, one of which leaves Kakashi with a heavy heart, but also reminds him of something profound Naruto has told him once.


A/N: Okay this is a one shot I...wrote in an hour based on a theme, which was **Leaf** in response to something on live journal. This little story really did just pop into my head.

Although the character didn't matter I had chosen Kakashi not because he was my favorite character (well he is but..) but more because I feel he's the type to watch people and question why they do as they do. In this case he's trying despirately to find something to do on his one day off.

Well that's all I would love to hear what everyone gets from this. This is my first one shot so be nice. I tried hard not to go on forever.

Before I forget it seems FF is having some troubles uploading stories...lucky for me I exported an old one and worked from there, nothing is lost thank goodness. However if reviewing is not working feel free to email me, I understand as many do that computers tend to suck from time to time...now read!

Enjoy and please review

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A Lesson of Hidden Leaves

He aimlessly walked trough the streets of Konohoa, watching people tiredly as they passed by. His book was long forgotten due to his fatigue. He had been doing missions left right and centre and it was starting to show.

Once one was done the Fifth Hokage had a new one for him. Sometimes he was lucky to get five hours of sleep if that. Lately though it had been three major missions each three days long one after the other without rest.

Today he was lucky though. He had one day off, just one though. He thought of what to do, sleep was one choice. But the more he thought about it the more he wanted to just wander the village and see what was happening. In Konohoa though there was always something. Be it vendors to tease and hassle to genin to terrorize. There was never a lack in things to do. The problem was picking one.

Jumping onto a rooftop he decided it best to wander through the village that way. It was easier since people wouldn't gawk at him or wonder what he was up to, or worse where his book was and why it was missing from his hands. People were quite unusual that way. They would fuss over his book. Tease and point, but he knew better. Most if not all were curious as to what was in it. They may tell him its inappropriate but how many people had he seen try to peek at it? Far too many.

Sighing he realized the streets were not what he found interesting this day. They usually were but there was no one he knew wandering around, and most were civilians, people he rarely understood or had little to do with. Instead he decided to see what was going on somewhere else.

Jumping on a roof he watched Tsunade at her desk. He sometimes wanted to see what she was up to, not because of who she was, more just out of curiosity of what she does when he's not around.

Today though she was busy. He watched her as she studied page after page after page of documents. Sometimes she would look around the room as thought bored. Once in a while a shinobi would come in and a scroll would be placed in his or her hand and they would vanish as soon as they had come. Only the highest ranking shinobi would report directly to her. The rest were sent to the mission's office next to the academy.

He watched longer as he noticed her hand reach down into the wooden drawer by her knee and pull out a small porcelain bottle. He knew full well what it was.

Sighing he realized there really was nothing to make note of her habits, they were the same as usual.

Jumping back to ground level he tried somewhere else.

Training field four was one of his favorites to watch genin. The ground was rugged and the water fast in this field. He liked it for his own training as well, which amazingly he had almost no time for anymore, and he regretted admitting that.

Watching closely he noticed Akamaru sitting in the field. It meant Kurenai's team was training, or her genin anyways. She was most likely out on mission.

He noticed Hinata dash out of the trees straight for the dog who in a cloud of smoke became Kiba who retaliated just as quickly sending her flying back. The only person Kiba forgot about, as usual, was Shino who ultimately won the battle by ambushing his comrade and subduing him.

Kakashi found this session to be lacking. There was nothing new here either and he found that rather frustrating. Was there anything interesting going on in The Village Hidden in the Leaves? He felt sadly that there was not.

Leaving that field he soon found himself somewhere he wasn't expecting at all. Somewhere he rarely went to unless told.

Crouching in the tree he watched a room full of Konohoa's future shinobi, Konohoa's most precious resource.

Some were sleepy, others were bored, the two went hand in hand he noticed. Some where definitely busy with other matters like the person next to them or behind them. Some of which included throwing paper balls. Others were the keeners listening intently to their teacher.

The man teaching the class he knew well. Everyone knew him. He was the hardest working member of the village aside from Kakashi and Tsunade and a handful of others. He worked at the academy during the morning to mid afternoon, then the missions office in the afternoon until around mid evening, and sometimes took missions after or the next day. The man was amazingly efficient even as a shinobi, but also had far to many emotions than Kakashi liked.

He watched him as he wrote on the board and stopped. The particular class he was teaching seemed to be putting the children to sleep. All of them! However he did seem to take note of that.

Kakashi watched as the piece of chalk moved from the board and was placed down in its place. The teacher turned and sighed heavily as though he couldn't be bothered and walked around his desk and simply leaned against it, effectively gaining the attention of the entire room.

"Today I wanted to teach you all something very important." He watched the room as they watched him back. Kakashi knew he could never handle that. Any slip up and they were liable to hold it against you and use it.

"Many of you have parents who are shinobi…" He began. "Some of them were in the recent battle with the shinobi of sound." He seemed to pause. "I know some of you have lost a parent or two." He looked down at his hands sadly. Everyone knew the tragic story of Umino Iruka, and what had happened to him during his childhood. Everyone knew how people ignored him as a child and no one took him in. Kakashi knew Iruka never had a real true friend in his life who cared. Well that wasn't totally true anymore but still everyone knew.

"Loss is a hard thing to deal with and no one gets over it…" It was a heavy lesson but its affect was astounding. "We all lose someone as shinobi, but that isn't quite my point."

"I think some of you are wondering why shinobi do as they do…Why we take missions, why we throw our lives on the line." He watched the room as a few of the younger children nodded.

"What is it that makes us from Leaf so strong?" He asked, and waited. No one was sure what he had meant, Kakashi knew but that was because of the Fourth asking him the very same question after every little fist fight he had had with Obito…although the Fourth was not convinced they were 'little fights' at all.

"We're not strong because of our skills, or how smart we are. We are not strong because we have many families that have been shinobi for centuries, we are not strong because we have many who have Kekkei Genkai…no none of those have any bearing on it at all."

Kakashi nodded his agreement. Many clans were great clans, some legendary but none can forget the tragedy of the Uchiha and how quickly they fell…to a single man; be it a member, but a single man nonetheless.

"We are strong because we want to protect something." Iruka smiled as he watched his class suddenly truly wake up. "We want to protect those we hold dear, we want to protect all that is precious to us." He then looked to one of the girls who was staring at him intently.

"We call this something…can anyone tell me?" Iruka asked.

A boy put up his hand and the teacher nodded to him. "The will of fire?"

"That's right. The will of fire we say one inherits when they have something they truly wish to protect. Be it the village, a person, or even their home. This person is willing to fight until they no longer can." Iruka smiled. "Years ago when the end of The Great Secret War came the village was attacked by the Kyuubi. The creature tore through our village, and some fled in fear. However others fought back and even died fighting to save us all so that one day children like you could inherit that will. The will to protect what is special."

Kakashi smiled. He liked how Iruka taught, it was engaging and interesting. No wonder Naruto would babble about the man for hours on end.

"But I want to remind you fire is not a tool to destroy. If one sees it as such they will never inherit its will." Iruka smiled at the class as a few stared in awe as he held up a leaf. Kakashi himself was wondering why he had that one leaf.

"Fire does destroy yes, but in the end it does what is more important, it brings life. We as shinobi need to remember that. As leaves we must remember that a fire may scorch us, may burn our village down but like a strong tree the leaves can be re-grown and the Village rebuilt. Even if we loose our family we must remember not to blame the destruction but to take the chance of starting anew." He smiled. "Blaming someone for a death or revenge is not our way. Instead we try to overcome it like a tree after a fire. I want you all to remember that and to never lose your hearts, no matter what." Then the bell rang.

Kakashi stared in awe as he watched the children. The lesson was quite the strong one. They weren't running out of the room into freedom but rather thinking and walking slowly.

Taking a chance Kakashi jumped into the window.

"Very good lesson sensei!" Kakashi smiled as the teacher jumped.

"Using the door might be an idea Hatake-san." The chuunin shook his head.

"Ah but that…would be expected. I was wondering."

"Eh?"

"Would that lesson by any chance have come from recent events?" Specifically he felt it had more to do with Sasuke leaving and Naruto's absence to train.

"Ah…well maybe a little." The chuunin rubbed his neck self-consciously

"I liked that." Kakashi smiled. "You made them think about it. It's a shame Sasuke was a little difficult to reach…even I tried." Kakashi looked to the floor.

"I think he might still come back." Iruka smiled. Kakashi looked up to the man before him and couldn't help but agree. "He's a leaf and like it or not he won't forget that."

"Ah you mean he still has his heart."

The chuunin smiled. "He lost a lot and needs to learn on his own what to do. I was the same." All the while he twirled the leaf in his hand.

"I wanted to ask you something else actually." Kakashi placed his feet on the floor and casually leaned on the window sill.

"Oh?"

"I would say the village represents a forest don't you think?" The teacher stared at him.

"Each tree represents one person." Kakashi continued while holding up one finger. "Each leaf represents a person or something precious to them. If a fire goes through there some may loose their way…as Sasuke did but eventually the leaves grow back. I believe this is Naruto's hope. I don't think he even knows it."

"Wow…that was…" Iruka stared at him.

"Profound…you know sensei you should listen to me more." Kakashi laughed. "Naruto has taught this entire village a lesson or two…we should also listen to him."

"I…" The teacher stared longer.

"He thinks Sasuke has yet to re-grow the leaves on his branches. He has forgotten all that is precious as you had told the students. Naruto hopes by showing Sasuke that he'd be there that at least one leaf will grow back…and then eventually another, and another…and you get my point…Iruka sensei?"

"Kakashi…"

"Yes?"

"You're a genius!" The teacher grabbed something and wrote something down.

"Well that was a given but I didn't think I was worth quoting."

"Not you!"

"Oh…who?"

"Naruto!"

Kakashi nearly fell out of the window.

"Naruto?"

"He's a smart kid, you said it yourself." The teacher beamed at him as though it were an epiphany Kakashi had given him. "Thank you for telling me this, it makes me fell much better about the whole situation."

Kakashi smiled and waved a hand. "Ah…it's the least I can do, you do act as Naruto's mother figure anyways." He stopped. "I mean…fath…"

"HATAKE KAKASHI!!!!!"

That was a day he would never forget…especially with the bruises all over his body, who ever said _that _chuunin couldn't defeat a jounin should seriously rethink that strategy. However in the end he had learned as much as the sensei. Indeed Konohoa shinobi were not necessarily leaves all alone but rather trees with many leaves. Those who lose them must find them once more and re-grow before it is to late.

He could only hope that Sasuke re-grows those leaves he had just regained and lost once more. He only hopped Orochimaru hadn't made that impossible to attain for the boy. Sasuke deserved to be a leaf shinobi once more, because like a tree after a forest fire he deserved to have a second chance.

Before him he watched a single leaf fall into his book. Soon he would see the boy once again.

END! 


End file.
